I have a 91 Chrysler New Yorker that I bought last fall. I’m starting to restore it. It isn’t too far off from perfect, but, I think that I will need a new AC. Maybe not, but, worst case scenario, how much should it cost, more or less, to get a new one installed? It hasn’t been retrofitted, or anything else, that I’m aware of.
Auto mechanics around here charge 70-90 dollars per hour, if that helps.
Thanks,
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I suppose it depends on the availability of compressors, fan clutches, etc for a 22 year old Chrysler. You might be in luck though, as the production run from 1988-1993 of the C platform produced well over 400k units.
There isn’t just a single A/C unit, but rather a bunch of components. Whatever allowed the original refrigerant to leak out in the first place will need to be repaired, and then the system will need to be upgraded to r134. If there’s an A/C specialist shop in town, they are probably who you want to talk to because not only will the prices of the conversions vary, the effectiveness of the converted system will too. There’s some cars where the A/C was barely adequate to begin with and is so anemic with r134 that it’s not worth the trouble, but I’d guess a plushmobile like your New Yorker probably had decent A/C.
I priced out getting the evaporator fixed and an r134 retrofit on a late 80’s Accord about 5 years ago and IIRC it was something like $350. I don’t remember what the breakdown was, but I think the retrofit was the expensive part. I decided it doesn’t get hot enough where I live to justify it at the time.
Are YOU restoring it? I’ll assume a basic level of mechanical aptitude.
This is easy, but a minor PITA and time consuming…
Any dealer or shop will run you $1,000 easy for a complete re-do.
First, do you need it? I’d only be mildly surprised if it still worked, but after this kind of time, it’s probably empty. Put a 134 retrofit kit on it, replace all the o-rings and find a local shop to work with you. They can put a vacuum on it and see if it’s holding. If it is, they can fill it with 134 and see if the compressor and system is working. If it is - good. If not, they’ll suck out the 134 and send you home. This should take an hour or less.
If you need to replace things, start here…
Here’s a compressoron Ebay for 90 bucks. Search the numbers on the Google for better deals if you can.
You’ll need thedrier/accumulator as well.
The orifice tube will need replacing…
Make sure you replace the O-rings at each hose connection and the compressor suction/pressure hose fitting.
Any auto parts store should have a can ofA/C flush. Use it.
Take it back to your local shop for an evac & recharge for around $100.
If you don’t know how, Youtube is full of 134 conversion instructions.
With such an old system, make sure your shop adds dye and checks for leaks before handing you back your car.
Good luck.
ducati, It won’t be *me *restoring the AC part. Sorry about the vague language.
Thanks, GreasyJack, FoieGrasIsEvil, and **ducati **for all of your help!
I recently had the AC fail on my 2002 car. Cost to fix it:
$75 for an AC compressor bought from a junk yard (it was an A rated part that had a warranty)
$40 for the R-134a
$5 for a fuse that had blown
$10 for a gasket set
Labor was about $90, but I visit cheap mechanics. Finding a cheap mechanic and buying your own parts will save you about 70% of the cost vs going to an auto shop. There are tons of mechanics on craigslist willing to work for $15-30/hr out of their garage, and parts can be bought cheap at auto stores (autozone, advanced auto parts, o’reilly, etc), a junkyard or ebay.
Example. I had to get an alternator replaced once on a different car. I was quoted $500 at an auto shop. Instead I bought my own for $80 and paid $50 for 2 hours labor (I doubt it even took that long). So $130 instead of $500.
For me it was about $130 in parts and about $90 in labor to fix the AC. However the climate control console still worked. If not, those were about $60-80 used, and about $20 in labor to get them swapped.
And I didn’t have to upgrade, my car took R-134a already.